03 June 09

New chairman for Metalysis

Dr. Pelham Hawker to lead the board at speciality metals technology pioneer, Metalysis.

Dr. Pelham Hawker has been appointed chairman of the board of directors of Metalysis Ltd, the technology innovator for the speciality metals industry.  Dr. Hawker is also a main board executive director of FTSE 100 speciality chemicals company Johnson Matthey Plc.

Metalysis owns the global Intellectual Property and commercial exploitation rights to the FFC Cambridge Process. When compared to conventional technologies, this process opens up a cheaper, less capital intensive and more environmentally favourable production route to high value metals and alloys.

“Pelham brings a wealth of commercial and operational experience to Metalysis. His expertise, networks and understanding of chemicals engineering and metals technologies, processes and markets will be especially valuable.  He will play a crucial role in guiding us through the Company’s scale-up and commercialisation phases and on to substantial profitability and market impact”, said Mark Bertolini, chief executive of Metalysis.

Dr. Hawker’s appointment as non-executive chairman follows the successful conclusion of a £5.1million funding round in May 2009, in which all of the company’s venture capital partners have invested further funds. This funding will be used to scale-up manufacturing processes.

Metalysis, based in Rotherham, UK, is focused upon exploiting its disruptive FFC Cambridge Process technology to produce titanium, tantalum, and related high value alloys. These are used increasingly by major worldwide industries such as aerospace, marine, medical, chemical, automotive and electronics industries. The business is already supplying low volumes of metallurgical grade powders. It is projecting modest initial revenues for later this year, with substantially increased sales from 2010 as its semi-continuous pilot plant comes on stream.

Dr. Hawker succeeds industrialist and interim chairman Tony Pedder, also chairman of Sheffield Forgemasters International.  Tony Pedder remains on the Metalysis board.

During the last five years Metalysis has raised £19 million in venture capital and a further £4 million in grants. From a workforce of three in 2005, the business now employs 43 people in science and engineering, scale-up and commercial development operations.

Metalysis holds 24 patent families, filed in 88 countries.